


To get through this thing called life

by Skyson



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Coulson and Skye are a team, Coulson thinks Skye is a superhero, F/M, Flirting, Fluff, Gen, Holidays, Project Caterpillar, Secret Missions, Skye has powers, Tahiti
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-26
Updated: 2014-12-26
Packaged: 2018-03-03 17:28:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2859023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skyson/pseuds/Skyson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Skye and Coulson have been doing their own thing, lately...</p>
            </blockquote>





	To get through this thing called life

**Author's Note:**

> This started out as a tiny little scene of Skye being more comfortable with her powers, even having a little fun. That turned into Coulson-and-Skye secret missions, which then introduced the old-man-matchmaker figure, which all became surrounded by the idea of a holiday break. It got away from me a little bit, but I like what I ended up with. Hope you like it, too.

* * *

 

"Wanna see something cool?" Skye grinned, gesturing her head toward the fountain that was located in the center of the block they were staking out. Coulson noted the spark in her eyes and he narrowed his own.

"Skye, we're here to locate the possible 0-9-6, not play around," He told her, a slight warning in his tone. She rolled her eyes and leaned forward in her seat.

"Come on, bright red Corvette and you don't think we stand out already?" She focused her gaze intently on the fountain. Coulson sighed.

"I told you; it's so overt, it's covert..." He knew he was going to lose this battle and, anyway, he was honestly happy that she was starting to feel comfortable in her own skin again. If this was something that would make her happy... He couldn't deny that from her.

He followed her gaze to the fountain, where a few people were sitting on the edge, sipping coffees and hot cocoas. It was cold enough that they had turned off the fountain, so the water was still - or, it was supposed to be.

A small smirk appeared on his face as he watched the ripples begin moving, turning into small, rolling waves.

"Mom! Mom! Look! Cool!" A child was excitedly tugging on his mother's arm, pointing at the water. His mother turned and kneeled down next to him, playing along, but it was clear that she just assumed that it was the mechanics of the structure. The little boy had drawn the attention of the people sitting on the fountain, and they looked slightly startled when they noticed the water moving. Coulson had parked close enough and rolled the windows down so that they could pick up snippets of conversation.

"That's weird... Wasn't this off a minute ago?"

"Maybe someone switched it back on."

"It's pretty cold out here to have this thing on. The pipes'll freeze."

"I've been having lunch out here for years, and have never seen it move like that before."

Skye looked at Coulson, almost seeking approval, and he allowed her to see the upturn of his lips before he frowned. She looked pleased and leaned back in her seat, her eyes alight with excitement.

"Don't draw too much attention." Coulson said.

"I just made that little boy's day." Skye said proudly, and Coulson knew it wasn't selfishness behind her statement - it was confidence, and hope.

"Any power can be used for good, or for evil. It's the person who chooses." Coulson said quietly, and she nodded as she shifted into a more comfortable position in her seat.

"I know." She replied with a contented smile. "You've told me."

"I'm gonna keep telling you," Coulson told her. "Because you're a good person, Skye. A good person who's had to make tough choices. But that doesn't make you any less good."

"Alright, Mr Charm School. Any more butter and Paula Deen is gonna show up." Skye said dryly, but she still had that smile on her face, and a slight blush on her cheeks. Coulson laughed at her statement, and Skye looked over at him with some surprise. "I haven't heard that in a while."

"Yeah." He admitted, leaning his arm across the windowsill, thumbing the steering wheel.

"It's good." Skye smiled at his slightly raised eyebrow. "It's nice to see you lightening up a bit." He rolled his eyes, but smiled a little.

"One o'clock, blue shirt, khaki pants," Coulson began.

"He's scanning the area," Skye agreed. "His reaction to the fountain was very different than everyone else's." Coulson looked over at her, his eyebrows raised in surprise. "Thought I was just having fun, did you?" Skye replied smugly, and he shrugged and looked forward. "He looked suspicious, and touched his fingers to the surface. I'm not sure what his power is, but he somehow knew that water wasn't moving by normal mechanical means."

"That explains why he's casing the place." Coulson mused. Skye opened her door and shifted to get out of the car. "What are you doing?" Coulson asked sharply. She gave him a look.

"Getting us a refresher on coffees. We've been sitting here long enough, people are gonna get suspicious if we don't buy something else or leave."

"Of course," He relaxed slightly, looking embarrassed. She knew he was watching her closely as she shut the door and sauntered toward the small shop. She turned around and gave him a demure smile, wiggling her fingers at him. His lip twitched and he shifted in his seat, smiling back awkwardly. She laughed and continued walking toward the coffee shop.

Scanning the area again, he noticed an older couple looking in Skye's direction, and then at him. They smiled widely, and then said something to one another he couldn't hear. He got the gist of what they were thinking, though, and felt the tips of his ears burning with embarrassment.

When Skye returned to the car, she leaned in close and kissed his cheek as she held out his coffee. He looked at her for a moment before slowly taking it from her. She grinned at him.

"That was for the old couple on our right." She told him. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, taking a careful sip from his cup.

"I think May needs a status update on your field work." He said dryly. Her grin widened and she wiggled her eyebrows at him as she drank her coffee.

"He's been out here for a bit, and has yet to get himself something warm to drink." Skye mused.

"Maybe he's not a coffee guy. Or maybe he's got some special powers that keep him warm." Coulson shifted in his seat again, his only tell that he was cold.

"Told you to wear a hat." She said. He frowned slightly.

"I'm not a hat guy." He sounded a little disappointed.

"Hmm," She pursed her lips as if she were thinking over what he said, and reached over to brush her fingers across his hair at the back of his head. He flinched and then stiffened, sitting very still. She shrugged and pulled her hand away, shifting to get comfortable in her seat and taking a drink of her coffee.

They sat in silence for a few minutes.

"There he goes," Skye murmured, watching as their guy moved toward the coffee stand. Coulson glanced at her suspiciously.

"What did you do?" He asked warily. They watched as their mark spoke with the barista for a few moments, and then received his cup and a card. He eyed the card in his palm carefully before securing it in his coat pocket. He left the square without looking around, never showing signs that he was suspicious of anything.

"Shit, what - " Coulson started the car, and Skye put her hand on his arm.

"Don't worry." She smiled at him. "Let's get back to base. I'm expecting a phone call some time soon." He stared at her for a long moment.

"You're that certain he's our 0-9-6? And that he'll actually call a mysterious number?" Coulson asked dubiously, irked.

"He'll call," Skye assured him. "The fountain, Coulson. He knew... And I know you're not gonna like this reason but... I know he's who we're looking for." Coulson peered at her.

"You can... Tell who's like you?" He asked carefully.

"I could with him." Skye shrugged. "And he could with the water. Maybe it's an inherent thing."

"You're sure he'll call?" Coulson asked again, putting the car into gear. Skye raised her eyebrow at him.

"Have you ever doubted me before?" She teased, and he glanced at her, his lip quirking just enough that she would notice.

 

* * *

 

"Well." He leaned back in his chair with his eyebrows raised in surprise; she looked back at him smugly.

"That's three." She said, slipping her phone into her pocket as she stood and moved toward the map projected in the middle of the room. She typed in some data and marked a spot on the map, then swiped everything into a "classified" file.

"Good job," Coulson told her, meaning it. Her smile this time was more humble, and she shrugged.

"Just doing my job, sir. Head driver of the Welcome Wagon!" She mock saluted, and he raised an amused eyebrow.

"I'm honestly surprised that every one we have approached so far has been agreeable and so open to meeting with us."

"With my good looks and your charm? I bet we could get Fury eating out of our hands." Skye crowed, a twinkle in her eye, and Coulson laughed.

"Hmm..." He said dubiously.

"Anyway," Skye said more seriously, opening an "unsolved" file of their next possible 0-9-6. "We've only found and made contact with three. Our odds are quite likely to change with our next one."

"Don't jinx us," Coulson smiled softly as he moved to stand next to her, both of them observing the words and photographs in front of them.

"Last known location... _No way_."

"What?" Coulson asked warily. He'd been busy with other paperwork and hadn't been able to look ahead on their little side project.

"French Polynesia," She said quietly, looking over at him. "Tahiti."

"That's not funny, Skye," He carefully warned her. She shook her head, pointing to the small map and enlarging it, zooming in.

"You know I wouldn't joke about that."

She was right, of course he knew she wouldn't joke about that. He looked at the point on the map and sighed heavily.

"We'll need to bring the team in on this one. It's too far away for us to go without raising suspicion."

"Oh, I think I could come up with something..." Skye grinned mischievously, and he looked even more wary.

"Skye... Perhaps we should include them anyway. They'll have to know at some point." He advised softly, and she shook her head, closing the file and hiding it away.

"Not yet. Not until I've figured some things out."

"We already know you aren't dangerous."

"What about the rest of my _kind_?" Skye reminded him pointedly. "They'll want to know. And _I_ want to know... Are we primarily a kind race, with a few mishaps? Or a race hellbent on destruction with only a few of us with kindness and compassion in us?" Skye spoke darkly, and Coulson frowned slightly, resting a hand on her arm.

"Regardless of that answer, you know they won't think anything less of you," He assured her quietly, and she looked at him.

"They already think I'm crazy for having spent those two weeks with good old Dad." She reminded him, and his frown deepened.

"You learned about yourself, about how to control your powers," He sounded like he was grasping at straws; Skye knew that while he had been outwardly supportive of her decision, he had been the one most against it.

"Sort of." She agreed, and after a moment put her hand overtop his, squeezing before stepping out of his reach. "Not long until Christmas," She commented, her tone suddenly very hard to read. "I think the Director needs a little holiday break."

"What... What are you doing?" He asked quickly, following her out the door.

"I told you I had an idea. Just follow along." Skye replied as she bounced down the stairs toward the kitchen area.

"Skye," He started, but then stopped when he realized that quite a few people were lounging around the kitchen. His appearance changed immediately; he stood stiffer and donned a blank, almost bored expression. He would, at the very least, make it _appear_ that he was still in charge of things.

"Hey guys!" Skye greeted them cheerily, and they all replied in various manner. Mack and Hunter both raised their bottles of beer toward her, Fitz nodded, Simmons and Bobbi both smiled, and May turned toward them with slight suspicion.

"Well, well, if it isn't our fearless leader!" Hunter grinned, raising his bottle toward Coulson as well. Coulson nodded back, giving him a small smile.

"Another job for us, boss?" Mack asked, and Coulson began to nod, but Skye started speaking,

"No, not exactly," She glanced toward Coulson out of the corner of her eye. "Christmas is in a week and a half, and we haven't had a decent time off in a long time. So, of you've got family to see, or vacation spots to try out, start planning now. Your two weeks starts now."

Everyone stared at her blankly for a long few moments, and then they simultaneously turned their heads toward Coulson. He would have found it comical, had he not been so shocked by her words.

"Hydra took a big blow. They're not out, but they're down for the count. It will take them some time to gather themselves together and, in the meantime, I think we need to recuperate. Get some real rest." Skye explained. "AC and I have been talking it over. He agrees that we could use a recharge."

" _AC_?" Hunter repeated, his eyebrow raised high. Bobbi rolled her eyes at his suggestive tone. Coulson looked at Skye with a pleased but surprised look on his face. She blushed lightly and quickly moved on,

"Guessing by where you guys have family, we're going the furthest, so we get dibs on The Bus."

"What!"

" _We_?"

"Excuse me,"

"You can't call dibs on _my_ plane,"

" _We_?!"

"Ahem." Coulson cleared his throat, and everyone quieted down. Bobbi smacked Hunter on the back of his head, and Coulson gave her an appreciative look. "We will drop you guys off wherever you would like to spend your vacation - given that it is somewhere between here and - " He hesitated only a fraction of a second, " - Tahiti."

" _Tahiti_?" This time it was multiple voices at once, in varying levels of surprise. May's eyes were narrowed dangerously.

"Yes." Coulson shifted his weight on his feet, clasping his hands in front of him, "I've heard it's a magical place." He said dryly.

May's look was dryer than his tone, and Skye elbowed him in the side. His lip twitched but he didn't smile.

"Director Coulson..." Simmons started, but Coulson shook his head.

"It's fine, Agent Simmons. I think it's a good idea. Give me some real memories." He told her gently, and she bit her lip, but nodded.

"Well," Mack said, looking around at everyone else, standing up and moving to toss his now empty bottle away, "I don't know what everyone else is hesitant for, but I'm totally up for some down time. My brother and his family are in Tennessee."

"Perfect," Skye smiled at him, and he returned a smile.

"I'll let them know." He said excitedly, and disappeared from the room. Fitz and Simmons, who had repaired a bit of their relationship, discussed something together quietly while May approached Skye and Coulson.

"What's going on." She demanded calmly.

"Tahiti, you know, I know some great places in Tahiti, if you're interested. Real _romantic,_ Tahiti." Hunter called, and Bobbi smacked him again.

"We'll be visiting my parents in Virginia. I can just take an SUV, if that's alright with you." She told Coulson, and he nodded.

"Of course," He told her, choosing to ignore Hunter.

"She said _we_ ," He whispered loudly to Bobbi, who grabbed his arm and hauled him out of his chair and toward the door.

"Come on, Lance." She said, dragging him out of the room.

"Lance?" Simmons repeated, and Skye laughed.

"Come on, Simmons. It's obvious they're hooking up again." Skye said, and Coulson looked perturbed.

"They both assured me that their previous relationship wouldn't hinder their work." He mused, and Skye shrugged.

"Has it?" She asked him.

"No..." He grudgingly admitted.

"Fury used to have rules against fraternization, though." May said, and she looked at Coulson. "But you've changed a lot of rules, haven't you." She wasn't stating a question, and he shifted on his feet again, frowning a little at her.

"Fitz and I would like to spend some time in New Mexico, if that's all right." Simmons spoke up carefully. "We have an old friend we'd like to catch up with."

"It wouldn't be a Dr Selvig, would it?" Coulson asked, and Simmons raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"You know him!"

"Yes," Coulson smiled, albeit somewhat sadly.

"Fitz studied under him before starting at the Academy," Simmons said excitedly, and Fitz frowned.

"I can speak for myself, Jemma," He said, and she nodded quickly.

"Of course you can, Fitz," She said apologetically. He shrugged, and they both stood, leaving to gather their things.

"Well... They're doing better." Skye commented. Coulson sighed heavily.

"I'm afraid they won't be the same, though."

"Tahiti, Coulson? Really?" May said, and Coulson glanced to the doorway that led into the hall.

"In my office," He said, leading the way back up the stairs. Skye followed immediately, and May watched them for a second before following them up.

"I'm not being facetious, here," Coulson said as soon as his office door was shut.

"I _know_ you aren't. That's why I'm not happy about it." May told him. Skye moved toward what had become her desk, fingering some of the papers that lay scattered on the top.

"Why not?" Coulson asked, leaning against the edge of his desk, folding his arms across his chest. "Don't you think I should create some _real_ memories there?" All three of them knew that was a sharp barb in May's side, and she looked a bit regretful. Skye bit her lip, feeling a little bad.

"Phil..." May said in a softer tone, and Skye was surprised to feel something in her stomach clench in agitation. "I would, normally, think that was a good idea. A healthy idea." Then her tone became clipped and serious, again, "I know you, Phil. You aren't going to Tahiti for vacation."

The three of them were silent for a moment.

"Not entirely." Skye admitted, getting both of them to turn their eyes to her. "But I _am_ going to make sure our Director gets a bit of rest while we're there." Coulson's eyes sparked with some joke, but he didn't say anything. May appeared to be resisting the urge to roll her eyes.

"Right. _Rest_."

Skye frowned.

"Does this trip have anything to do with the disappearances of you two in the past few months?" May asked, moving passed her comment before Skye or Coulson could reply to it.

"What - "

"Don't even try, Coulson," May looked at him, "I'm not the only one who's noticed. Luckily, I _suppose_ , Hunter thinks you're off having wild sex, and everyone else is so tired of his gossiping that they don't bother thinking about it."

"Who says we _aren't_?" Skye challenged, and May gave them both a long look. Coulson glanced at Skye in surprise. May shook her head.

"You two wouldn't be able to hide it this well." May said matter-of-factly, and Coulson opened his mouth to retort, halting when he saw Skye's grin.

"You're probably right," She admitted, eyeing Coulson, and he frowned at her. "Listen, it's... Personal." Skye said carefully. "And I know you're my SO and all but this is..."

"Something to do with your father. With what happened in those tunnels a few months ago." May said. "With why you've been holding back on me since then."

"I - I've been trying to be careful," Skye said softly, looking somewhere on the floor between them. Coulson moved as if to stand nearer to her, something that didn't escape May's notice.

"The minute your heart monitor starts going up, you stop what you're doing and start doing breathing exercises." May told her, and Skye nodded. "You're afraid of.... What? Hulking out?"

"No." Skye looked at Coulson, and he nodded toward her. She swallowed and nodded as well, moving toward him and his desk, where this morning's cup of coffee rested, cold and half-full. "Watch," Skye sighed, resigned, and waited until Coulson shifted to her other side so May could move forward and peer into the mug. Skye felt Coulson watching her as her brow furrowed slightly, and her fingers reached for his almost subconsciously for support.

The liquid in the mug trembled, then sloshed, a bit dripping out over the side.

"Sorry," She murmured to him as he grabbed a tissue to clean it up, "I'm a bit nervous."

"It's okay," He assured her quietly. When she looked at May, May was staring at her with an indiscernible expression.

"So... You can... Control liquids?" May asked. Skye shook her head.

"Not directly. According to my Dad, I can control seismic vibrations. Liquids and the earth are easiest to affect, but I'm learning to focus it. Make specific objects move, vibrate, things like that." Skye frowned a little at her own explanation. "Not move like telekinetically," She amended, "Just in response to vibration, I guess." May was silent for a while.

"That's why you agreed to spend some time with your father." She commented. Skye nodded, glancing toward Coulson. He squeezed her fingers gently.

"The others don't know, yet." He told May, and she nodded, her expression turning soft.

"Of course." She narrowed her eyes again for a moment. "You should have told me, though. As your SO."

"Yeah..." Skye agreed.

"So. Why Tahiti?" May raised her eyebrow and looked pointedly at their clasped hands. "Hot and wild sex on the beach?"

Coulson spluttered and his ears turned red; Skye jerked her hand away from his and looked chagrined, though she still responded,

"Definitely not on the beach. Don't want sand getting in places it doesn't belong."

May looked impressed and amused at Skye's quip, and Coulson stared at her with wide eyes and managed to blush even more.

"Your father," May let Coulson off the hook, "He was able to help you. So I take it he's ... Different? That whole spiel about being special and having a destiny and all that crap?"

"He's not..." Skye frowned, searching for the right words, " _different_ like my mother was... Like I am. But he knows about our... Kind."

"Your kind... And what kind is that?" May asked carefully, sounding as if she felt awkward referring to Skye as a different kind.

"Inhuman." Skye shrugged, looking uncomfortable. Coulson touched her back for a moment, a comforting gesture that didn't feel as innocent as he thought it would be. Skye relaxed against his palm, however, so he kept it there. "We - AC and I - " She added, glancing up at him, "we've been digging through files and reports and possible locations of other Diviners, other people like.... Some seem to have been mislabeled in The Fridge. We've found three confirmed, so far. Three like me. They describe the same sort of crystal... Mist... Cocoon..." Skye trailed off, her eyes looking pained with memory, and Coulson rubbed his thumb down her spine.

"That's what happened to you in the tunnels?" May asked softly, and Skye nodded.

Coulson and Mack had been the only ones to even have an idea of what had happened that day, and only Coulson knew specifics. Now, Coulson and May knew about her powers.

"You're going to Tahiti because you might have found another one like you." May realized, and Skye nodded. "These excursions of yours... Have they been dangerous?" Skye knew what she was really asking.

"They've all just been confused, or surprised. And so far they have a solid grip on their powers, and haven't intended them for evil." Skye assured her.

"Lucky," May commented, and Skye nodded.

"I've been gathering intel for the Index. The Welcome Wagon; it's officially named now." Skye grinned quickly, and May looked a little amused, particularly at Coulson's proud smile toward Skye. "We're considering them as assets for us... None of the one's we've talked to so far have been corrupted by Hydra. They could be really useful allies. And they've been really helpful and open with me, especially after they realize that I'm like them."

"Seems like perhaps this is a job you were meant for?" May mused, a smile playing on her face, and Skye shrugged and smiled a little in embarrassment.

"Go figure; I discover where I belong _after_ I'm injected with alien serum and subjected to alien transformation." Skye said sarcastically at the same time Coulson said,

"A job for when she's not superheroing,"

Skye looked at him in surprise and May rolled her eyes.

"God, Coulson, _try_ not to be so obvious." She moved to the doorway, ignoring the two identical looks of confusion, and added, "I'll fly you to Tahiti. I'll mind my own, unless you need me. I'll be around, for backup." Her words welcomed no argument. "I'm not sure how I feel about having a bunch of super-powered strangers to be trusted as allies, but I trust _you_ , so I won't interfere... Unless I need to." She closed the door behind her when she left.

"I... Obvious about what?" Coulson asked, miffed, moving away from Skye to toss the tissue in the trash can.

"I'm glad May knows, now." Skye said, ignoring his question. She still felt the lingering warmth of his hand on her back. "And it _is_ a little disconcerting putting our trust in these people, but... That's why we're doing this, right?" She said to Coulson. "Flying around to different parts of the world, doing recon, making contact with people who could potentially kill us."

" _Anyone_ could potentially kill us," Coulson said pointedly, and she nodded.

"Yeah, I just... Wanna make sure we're doing the right thing. Not making needless, hazardous decisions."

"Skye," Coulson said softly, but sternly, "Project Caterpillar was your idea, and it's a _good_ one. These people deserve the chance to do something good with their powers, and not be brainwashed or experimented on by Hydra. We're giving them that chance. It's up to them whether to take it or not."

"Yeah." Skye gave him a determined look. "Sorry, I can't help but second-guess myself with this. After Ward... Even giving them their own base, even making sure they don't know too much to take us down with should they turn bad, it's hard for me to trust anyone any more. I want so bad for them to have something good, though." Coulson smiled softly and put his hand on her shoulder.

"We'll take each one as it comes, as we have been doing," He assured her. "They won't all be a success, but hey - we've already got three." She smiled back at him and nodded.

 

* * *

 

 

"Are you sure she'll stay on the plane?" Skye asked dubiously as they drove through the streets of Fa'a'ā. It was strange to be able to drive with the roof down and their sunglasses on, when it was so close to Christmas, but Skye appreciated it for the fact that her nervousness was better hidden.

"She may decide to explore the island a bit, familiarize herself with the area. But she'll leave us be." Coulson assured her, glancing toward her. She seemed to relax a little in her seat, but she was still fairly tense. "What is it, Skye? Does this one feel more dangerous, to you?" He asked, because he trusted her intuition.

"No," She said, "No more than any of the others, anyway. He's one of the ones from the Index. His powers are... Perception," She recalled. "And empathy."

"You fear that." Coulson said, and she shifted in her seat.

"Don't you?" She muttered, and he furrowed his brow.

"In a way, I suppose; only because I'm a private person - "

"If he is dangerous he'll be able to use my worst weakness against me." Skye admitted, speaking very quickly. Coulson raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Yeah, I'm a little scared of him."

"Your worst weakness..." Coulson repeated carefully, and Skye looked at him. He glanced at her, and she didn't say anything. They were quiet the rest of the drive to the safe house.

\-----

They found him walking along the beach early one morning. He was an older man, possibly old enough to be Coulson's father, but he walked with a straight back and a sure step. Skye thought he appeared very calm and genial, so she approached him outright.

"Excuse me," She said softly, nearing where he had paused to watch the sunrise.

"Ia ora na," He greeted kindly, his voice betraying his age more than his body was. Skye glanced at Coulson quickly. He shrugged a little, his hands in his pockets. "It is beautiful, no?" He asked, his gaze never leaving the view in front of him. Skye turned to stand next to him, watching the sunrise as well. Coulson stood a respectful but careful distance away, choosing to stay out of the conversation, but well close enough to get her out of trouble should he need to.

"Very beautiful." Skye agreed truthfully. She found herself relaxing, and they stood together in silence for a few moments. Eventually, the old man sighed and turned toward her. His eyes were kind, and his tone gentle.

"You are also very beautiful," He said, and looked toward Coulson, who somehow managed to look comfortable standing off by himself. The man smiled. "Your companion agrees with me."

Skye gave him a startled look, not quite making eye contact with Coulson when she glanced toward him.

"He is older. Mature." The man turned toward her. "Does he know? I get the feeling he would be very supportive of you."

"This," Skye laughed nervously, "this is why I was nervous to speak with you."

"Ah, I see." He spoke with the wisdom of a man who has lived for a long time, and his eyes twinkled. "He does not know you're in love with him."

"What!"

"Everything alright?" Coulson approached immediately when Skye exclaimed, and the man laughed.

"As I suspected. You are SHIELD." The man said, no malice in his voice. Coulson looked perturbed, then pressed his lips together and nodded. The man looked curiously at Skye. "He brought you here to speak with me? That is odd, even for a young one." He looked back toward Coulson. "Most G-Men would not think to bring a young one to an elder. Most G-Men would hide the young one in a lab and run tests and the young one would be forced to discover alone." His tone became chiding, but questioning. He looked sideways at Coulson, as if he couldn't figure him out.

"I work with him," Skye said. "I'm SHIELD also." The man caught the quick flash of pride in Coulson's eyes when she said that, and he raised his eyebrows, but spoke to Skye.

"You did not know that you were different until recently."

"Well, I don't know about that... I always felt different. I guess I just never expected I would be _from another planet_ different." She laughed nervously. The man held his hand toward her, and she shook it, surprised at the strength of his grip.

"I am Ari Hoani. I am also different," He smiled at Skye, and Coulson had a curious smile on his.

"Quite the applicable name," Coulson mused, and Ari smiled at him.

"Haha, yes. 'Friendly song, bird of the gods'. I was raised by a healer in a smaller village up on the mountain; he had found me when he had once climbed to the top."

"Found you as a baby?" Skye asked, alarmed, and Ari nodded.

"I was left there, he used to tell me, by the great blue gods. Many of the older areas on the island still pay homage to these 'gods'." He explained, and Coulson and Skye shared a dreaded look. Ari's brow furrowed slightly. "You know of them?"

"We've... Heard of something similar, elsewhere." Coulson said, and Ari knew he wasn't telling the whole truth, but he let it pass.

"I'm Skye," Skye said suddenly, realizing she hadn't introduced herself, "and this is Coulson."

Ari gave Coulson a long look, holding his hand for a few moments longer after they shook hands.

"Are you aptly named, Coulson?" Ari wondered. "Would you die for those you love?"

Coulson wasn't sure how to take that question, and he shifted on his feet, pulling his hand away and clasping his fingers together in front of him.

"I suppose I already have." He said dryly, and Skye touched his arm gently.

"I have not been approached by SHIELD in many years. They agreed to leave me in peace, and they have done so thus far. What has changed?" Ari asked, gesturing that they walk along the water. Skye and Coulson followed; Coulson walking along next to Skye this time.

"We aren't here to take you back, Mr. Hoani,"

"Please," Ari grimaced, "call me Ari."

"We're here because of Hydra." Skye said, and Ari frowned deeply. "They are searching for us, the ... Inhumans. They want to study us. Use us. Dissect us." She swallowed, and Coulson grasped her elbow lightly. She inhaled deeply and touched her fingers to his, letting him know she was fine.

"Inhumans... I've not been called that in a long time." Ari mused, and Skye glanced at Coulson.

"I didn't mean that with disrespect, it's just - "

"I know," Ari interrupted her softly. "That is what we were named by the so-called blue gods." Skye and Coulson both looked surprised. Ari glanced at them, noticing. "You were not told? They created our kind. We weren't all born this way, though many are now, through genetics. We were taken as babies, our genes toyed with. We were returned as we are, some of us already showing our powers, and some of us developing them later."

"Jesus," Coulson whispered.

"I was born. My mother..." Skye trailed off.

"Your mother was probably like me. Created. And then you were born, and you carried the genes." Ari paused for a respectful moment, and then asked softly, "How did you discover it?"

"Some sort of... We called it the Diviner." Skye said, and he nodded.

"There are many." He said, and Coulson stiffened.

"It opened, and a sort of ... Mist filled the room. Covered me in a ... I don't know, it was like a cocoon, in a way." Skye explained, describing it more than what she had even told Coulson.

"Terrigen crystal." Ari nodded. "There is one rumored to be on the mountain, somewhere. They left it, along with me, to be able to later discover how many others of us there are on this island. But it's been lost." Skye looked at Coulson worriedly.

"Do you think Hydra could know?" She asked quietly, and he frowned.

"I don't know, but I'd rather find it myself and worry about their knowledge of it later." He replied darkly.

"So you are here to... What? Protect me? Inform me? Take me away someplace 'safe'?" Ari asked.

"Well..." Skye glanced at Coulson, then continued, "We've spoken to a few before you. Much younger people, though. Not quite sure of themselves. We have a place that's completely open for you to come and go as you please, but a place where you can work freely, learn to control your powers, and be safe from Hydra..."

"But that is for younger generations," Ari pointed out, and Coulson nodded.

"Yes, but having someone like you around could be a real benefit. They would see that it's entirely possible to live among humans, happily. And it's okay to be different. You could help them learn control and acceptance." Coulson said, and Ari smiled warmly.

"You have a good heart, Coulson." He gave Skye a long look. "You have seen my file, you know my powers. May I ask what it is that makes you special?"

Skye bit her lip and then nodded, squaring her shoulders. She looked around for a moment, then knelt in the sand, gathering some together into a pile. She stood, brushing her hands off, and gestured toward it.

"Watch," She said, and relaxed her hands by her sides. Coulson was watching her while the pile of sand seemed to vibrate, floating slightly in the air before completely tumbling apart, disappearing into the rest of the beach. None of the sand surrounding it had been disturbed.

"Hmm." Ari mused, and then nodded. "You are already quite aware, familiar with what you can do."

"My father helped me." She said, and Ari looked at her with surprise.

"Your father is an Inhuman also?" He asked, and Skye scowled slightly.

"No." She said, and left it at that. Ari didn't press, and they walked on in silence for a bit.

"I would be honored to join you, Skye." Ari said, and Coulson's lip twitched. Ari smiled at him. "And you, Agent Coulson. You are presumably the one in charge of this project?" His smile was a bit mischievous, and Skye grinned.

"We both are," She said, and Coulson shifted his shoulders.

"Of course. You are partners." Ari told them, and it was clear he was putting some sort of meaning behind the word.

"Do you know where the Diviner here may be?" Coulson asked, trying to divert the conversation, and Ari looked saddened.

"I unfortunately do not. I suppose the first place to look would be where I was found, but by this time it could be anywhere," He told them. Skye and Coulson looked at one another.

"Well. We have a week and a half." Skye said, and Coulson breathed in deeply and then nodded.

"We can get started first thing tomorrow morning. In the meantime..." He looked at Ari. "What do you recommend to eat around here? It is the holidays, after all." Skye smiled at him, and Ari looked more than pleased at his request.

\-----

Ari showed them a locals-favorite coffee shop, and told them he'd meet them there tomorrow morning. Coulson checked in with May while Skye ordered them both coffee.

"Cream, sugar?" The waitress asked. She had kind eyes as well, like Ari. Skye wondered if all the people on the island were inherently kind.

"Cream, please." Skye replied, just as Coulson was hanging up the phone. He stepped back into the shop and slid into the chair across from her. "I ordered us coffee."

"Thanks. May refueled the plane and made friends with a mechanic at the airport."

"May, making friends? What?" Skye teased. "This place really is magical." Coulson failed to fight the smirk off of his face, and they were grinning at each other when the waitress returned.

"Here you are," the waitress set two mugs and a small container of cream on the table. She smiled warmly at them both. "Here on your honeymoon?"

Coulson's ears turned red and he opened his mouth to correct her, but Skye reached across the table to grab his hand, nodding toward the waitress and offering a big smile.

"I thought so. I could see by the way you look at one another. Let me know if you need refills," She winked at them and then walked away, and Skye held her breath as she looked at Coulson. He was staring at her with wide eyes and a furrowed brow.

"It's... An easy cover." Skye shrugged, and Coulson nodded very slowly, still giving her that look. She realized her hand was still resting on top of his, and she jerked it back, clasping her fingers over her knees.

"Thank you," Coulson said softly, reaching for the creamer, as if she hadn't done anything odd. He mixed his coffee carefully, paying full attention to it as he tasted it. Skye found herself staring at the almost mesmerized look on his face. "Have you tried this yet?" He asked her. "You need to try yours." She tried not to think of his tone of voice as _sensual_ as she poured a little cream in her mug as well.

" _Damn_ ," Skye said appreciatively after she'd taken a sip.

"Right?" Coulson opened his eyes and looked at her, his eyes alight in a way she hadn't really seen since he and Trip had talked about The Howling Commandos together.

Skye found herself frowning. It still hurt too much to think about Trip. Coulson leaned forward a little, concerned.

"What is it?" He asked quietly, knowing by the look in her eyes that her mind was elsewhere.

"Just... I can't help but think of Trip. He was really excited about Christmas. Wanted me to meet his Grandmother..." Skye stared into her mug, and Coulson reached for her hand, grasping it gently. After a moment, she looked up at him and offered him an appreciative smile. He squeezed her hand before leaning back into his seat, turning his gaze toward the window.

"He would be so jealous of us right now," Coulson said, grinning and shaking his head a little. "Tahiti..."

"We should do something fun." Skye said suddenly, grabbing Coulson's attention. "For him. He'd want us not to waste spending some time on a tropical island." They looked at one another for a moment, then Coulson nodded.

"Why don't we head back to the Bus for now, and look for some place to stay somewhere in town for the rest of the week?" He suggested, and Skye's eyes lit up.

"I wouldn't mind sleeping in a real room for a few days," She agreed.

"Okay. Once we're finished with the coffee, let's get May up to speed." Coulson said, taking a drink. He swallowed and sighed. "She should be a coffee person. She's really missing out." Skye grinned and shrugged, holding her mug in the air between them.

"I like this, though. Something between us _other_ than crazy-ass alien serum." Skye said, and Coulson grinned. He lifted his mug to tap it against hers, and his smile widened.

"Between us." He agreed, and as they both drank, Skye tried not to look too curious at his tone of voice.

\-----

Later that day they sat next to one another in his office, plotting out a search grid for the next day, that centered around where Ari had been found as a baby. Coulson had put on his old Christmas jazz records, and they played softly in the background. At one point, Skye had found herself tapping her feet along to the beat, and Coulson stood up.

"What?" Skye looked up at him as he stood there looking at her. He looked confused for a short moment, and then he held his hand out to her. She laughed.

"Dance with me," Coulson said, and she raised her eyebrows at him. "Come on," he rolled his eyes, "amuse an old man." She laughed again and stood, taking his hand and following him to the middle of the room. As they took their stance, her hand on the back of his shoulder and his at her waist, she shook her head slightly.

"You're not old," She told him. He just blinked as if he didn't believe she meant that, and started their dance. He seemed surprised that she could so easily move with him. "All those foster homes, you wouldn't think _one_ of them would force me to take dancing lessons?" Skye teased, and he smiled.

"I haven't danced with anyone in a long time," He admitted, and Skye gave him a look.

"You danced with May not long ago. How could you forget _that_?" She reminded him, and then her tone became conspiratorial, "Plus, she was _laughing_. None of _us_ will forget that anytime soon."

"That was undercover," Coulson said pointedly, and Skye looked at him for a moment before shrugging.

"There's a difference? Dancing is dancing." She said, and Coulson shook his head.

"Oh, no," He began, and tugged her a little closer to him. "There is a difference." He looked her directly in the eyes, and she licked her lips nervously as their bodies brushed together.

\-----

May knew that they were back on the Bus, working on something in his office, and she wanted to ask him if the Koenig's were in on any of what was going on.

She heard soft music coming through the slightly opened door, and she hesitated. She didn't see either of them at his desk, but she'd thought she heard voices not long ago. She tucked her head through the crack in the door just enough to get a clear view of the room, and she stopped.

The song was a slow jazz, instrumental version of "Santa Baby", and they were in the middle of the room dancing to it. May could tell immediately by their stance that he hadn't been teaching her how to dance, and that they weren't doing this just for fun.

If it weren't for their bodies being so close that they appeared to move as one, she could tell by the identical looks on their faces, which were focused on one another and had no clue that they were being observed.

May sighed quietly, and watched them for a moment. After a bit, a small smile softened her features, and she disappeared again. She would keep quiet to the Koenig's for now, and ask Coulson about them tomorrow.

\-----

It took them four days to find the location of the Diviner on the mountain - or rather, what was left of it. Somehow the outer protective shell of the crystal had been opened, or broken, and the crystal itself had been mostly destroyed in a rock slide. Ari had managed to scrounge up a few shards of crystal, which Skye made sure was carefully tucked away for FitzSimmons to study later.

He had been disappointed by the outcome, but Skye and Coulson couldn't help but feel pleased that they didn't have to worry about Hydra somehow getting their hands on it.

"We're definitely going to have to bring the team in on it now," Coulson advised Skye as they entered their hotel room, slipping their bags off of their shoulders.

"Yeah," Skye sighed, plopping down to sit on the edge of her bed.

The place they were staying was what used to be someone's house, repurposed into an inn. The waitress from the coffee shop had gotten them the place, so when they were offered only one room, they couldn't exactly turn it down without raising some questions. Luckily, the room came furnished with two full-sized beds, so they were fairly comfortable. The kitchen downstairs was free for guests to use, so long as they used their own supply of groceries and cleaned up afterwards, and their room had it's own private bath attached.

Skye actually _really_ liked the place; she found herself imagining staying at a place something like this on a _real_ honeymoon...if that sort of thing ever happened.

"Ari wants to cook us dinner, as thanks, I suppose. He said he would bring everything he needs here, and use the kitchen downstairs." Skye told Coulson, and he glanced over at her with something of a hesitant look on his face.

"Thanks? This mission wasn't exactly a success..." He moved toward one of the large windows on the other side of her bed, pulling the curtain open to let in the afternoon light.

"Maybe not to us," Skye agreed with disappointment, "But I think he's getting excited about the idea of meeting more like him... More like us." Coulson looked down at her from his position in front of the window.

"Are you excited?" He asked knowingly, his tone careful. Skye bit her lip as she thought for a second, and then shrugged and nodded.

"Yeah, I guess I am." She admitted, and he smiled before turning back toward the window. Skye watched his profile; his smile dropped and he looked sad. "We'll figure you out, too, AC. Don't worry." Skye assured him, sliding across the bed so she sat close enough to reach out and grab his hand. He smiled down at her appreciatively, and squeezed her hand.

"We should get those pieces on the Bus, so we don't have to worry about them while we're here." Coulson said, pulling his hand away and moving toward her backpack, where they had stashed the shards of crystal they had found.

"Be careful," Skye said quickly, moving off the bed to take the bag from him. "Don't let them touch you." He watched her slip the bag over her shoulder, a haunted look in her eyes.

"Come on," He said, holding the door open for her, "On our way back we can stop by the coffee shop and buy some bags for home."

They shared a smile between them at 'home', and she leaned into him a little when he wrapped his arm around her waist as they stepped out onto the street.

\-----

"Oh, you _have_ to taste this," Coulson practically moaned, and Skye stared at him incredulously as he held out a glass with fruit juice toward her.

She had heard Simmons talk about Coulson being a real foodie, but she had no idea to what extent the scientist had meant. This was definitely a whole new side to the man that Skye had not expected to learn about, at least not any time soon.

Ari was smiling over at them as he prepared dinner. They were sitting at the bar as he cooked; they had tried to offer a hand but he had slapped them both away, saying he would "treat the happy couple". His wink may have put Coulson at ease, but Skye knew better.

"What is it?" Skye asked politely, eyeing the dark orange colored drink.

"Fresh passion fruit juice. Ari let me add a little Grey Goose... But not too much. He didn't want the alcohol to take away from the natural flavors of the fruit." Coulson explained, holding the glass toward her expectantly. She gave him an amused look as she took the glass from him and tasted the drink. She immediately raised her eyebrows in surprise and handed the glass back to him, nodding.

"That's definitely some of the best fruit juice I've ever had," Skye admitted. Ari had a twinkle in his eye that made her suspicious.

"Breadfruit to start," He announced, setting a bowl of what looked almost like French fries between them. "Deep fried for you Americans," he grinned and laughed. "I like them this way too," He whispered loudly to them, as if it were to be kept a secret, and Skye and Coulson smiled at one another as they both reached into the bowl.

Ari was quickly becoming someone they both felt affection toward, which was a relief after the past few months. Skye had to wonder if their ease around him had anything to do with his powers.

"Damn," Skye breathed, quickly reaching for more after she'd tasted the first one, and Coulson watched her with amusement. "What?" Skye asked self consciously after a moment.

"Nothing," Coulson assured her, reaching into the bowl again as well, "I'm just glad you get to experience this... Something new. I'm glad I get to experience this with you."

Skye beamed, and Ari focused once more on the dinner preparations, a pleased smile on his face.

\-----

"Man, it didn't seem like a whole lot of food, but I am _stuffed_." Skye sounded impressed, and let out a heavy sigh, kicking up a bit of sand as she walked a little ahead of Coulson.

Dinner had been amazing; fresh fish, with some sort of mango dish for dessert, and after they had helped clean up, Ari had sent them outside, saying he would see them tomorrow. Now they were walking along one of the nearby beaches, a local area that was deserted after the fisherman returned home with their catch.

"I know it's because of volcanoes or whatever, but I still think this black sand is so cool," Skye said, kicking some up again. Coulson grinned at her back, watching her with an adoring look in his eye.

"Please never lose that, Skye," He said suddenly, and she turned toward him, tilting her head to the side a little. They both stopped walking, and he shifted slightly, uncomfortable. "That wonder. The joy in new discoveries. The interest in the world around you." Skye looked at him for a long moment.

"You're talking like an old man," She scolded lightly, and he laughed dryly. "Don't act all 'only the young can be adventurous' - I _saw_ you when you first bit into that mango thing," She said pointedly, and his smile widened.

"That was good, wasn't it?" He conceded, and she grinned and elbowed him. They both began their meandering walk through the sand, the ocean to their left, their rented room behind them.

"I think maybe," Coulson said after a while, "Ari let us put too much vodka in that juice."

"Nah," Skye shrugged, looking up at the stars above them, "I thought it tasted fine. Really good, even." Coulson laughed, and she stopped to turn and frown at him.

"Of course it _tasted_ good, but we went through that entire bottle," He reminded her, and she smirked at him.

"Yeah," She agreed, then laughed. "It feels good, though," She said a little more seriously, "being able to wind down a bit. Having a bit too much to drink and not worrying about it causing trouble for missions tomorrow. Not having Hunter's drunk ass trying to persuade us that we're just like him and his - hell, we all know he's talking about Bobbi, by this point."

"Where you're Hunter and I'm Bobbi, right?" Coulson checked, "Because I like to think I'm better than a whiny flirt - "

"Oh, and I _am_ a whiny flirt?" Skye raised her eyebrow at him and folded her arms across her chest, and he frowned.

"No, not what I meant - "

"And you are _totally_ a flirt!"

"So are you!" He argued, and she raised her eyebrow even higher.

"Well... I can't argue with that." She admitted after a minute, and he shoved his hands in his pockets and looked off to the side toward the ocean.

"I'm not _flirty_ ," He muttered, sounding put out, "I'm _charming_."

Skye laughed.

"You're _pouting_! You are _so_ Hunter!" She covered her mouth with her hand, but couldn't stifle the laughter. His brow furrowed and he started walking again, acting like he was ignoring her. "Aw, come on," Skye called, skipping to catch up with him, "I'm teasing, AC." He was quiet, and she tugged on his arm lightly. "AC," She started.

Then she was running into him, bumping against his torso and letting out an "mmph" in surprise. His hands were on either side of her face, gentle but firm,and he was still giving her that intense, almost frowning look. She blinked, too surprised to say anything, and just stared at him.

"I don't want to be like Hunter and Bobbi," He informed her seriously. "I want to be like you and me. I want to be like... AC and Skye."

"I thought you didn't really like it when I called you AC? It's not very professional..." Skye knew that wasn't the point, but she was too caught off guard and had to work through one thing at a time.

"I like it because it's what _you_ call me, Skye," He told her, and she looked at him in wonder, finally reaching her own hands up to mirror him, brushing her fingers across the line of his jaw.

"Do you think Ari was setting us up? Because _I_ do, and that's no fair; he's using his powers - "

His lips were soft against hers, and he still tasted slightly of passion fruit and vodka. He kissed her slowly, taking his time, keeping it a simple kiss for a while.

For a while, though, and then Skye started getting impatient, and slid her hands behind his head to pull him more firmly against her. That was when his tongue darted out, and she opened her lips for him with a quiet moan. His hands slid down to her waist, pulling her firmly against him, lifting her up slightly. She went with it and wrapped her legs around his waist, continuing to kiss him fiercely.

Hands were everywhere, getting in the way of each other and wanting to do everything all at once, and they stumbled, laughing, down into the sand. She didn't keep her lips from his for very long, though, and his hands were soon running up under her shirt, against her back, pulling her against him. Their legs tangled in the sand and he rolled them over so she was stuck between him and the ground.

His lips gravitated down her neck and across her collarbone, and she moaned a little louder and ran her fingers through his hair, tilting her chin up to give him better access.

Then she had tucked her knee and pushed him, quickly moving to straddle him, grinning widely. He chuckled in surprise, finding himself flat on his back, but he didn't mind so much because she was now running her hands down his torso admiringly.

"Mm, Skye," He sighed longingly, reaching for her waist to pull her back down against him. She maneuvered out of the way, still admiring his chest, and he frowned and sat up, wrapping his arms around her and pushing her back. They landed half in the surf, laughing again, and he held her down with his body for a moment. She grinned and flung a hand up toward him, getting water on his face, and reached up to bring his face down toward hers and kiss him hard on the mouth.

When he was sufficiently distracted, she shifted one leg up in front of where his arms were braced on either side of her, the other behind, and she rolled them over again, plopping him into wet surf. He stared up at her in surprise and she grinned cheekily.

"You're not the only one with fancy karate moves, _Director_ ," She teased.

"It's jiu-jitsu," He grunted, rolling them over yet again. She narrowed her eyes at him in a challenge, and he raised his eyebrow at her.

"Loser buys another bottle of Grey Goose on our way back to the inn." Skye says, and he grins with a glint in his eyes.

"Winner gets to undress the loser first." He adds, and gives him a more serious look.

"You're on."

\-----

At the end of the week and a half of holiday break, Skye is finishing up some paperwork in Coulson's office as he helps Ari get settled in one of the bunks for the flight back to The Playground.

"A break really did you well," May said appreciatively, leaning against the doorway of the office. "Both of you. I haven't seen either of you this relaxed since... Well, honestly I'm not sure when the last time I saw Coulson this relaxed." Skye looked up at her SO. "Thank you." May told her softly, and Skye gave her a confused look.

"For what?" She wondered.

"For taking care of him. Making sure he got in some relaxation during whatever this mission was of yours." May sounded thankful, but still slightly suspicious, and Skye looked away from her so she wouldn't see the smirk on Skye's face.

Quite a few mornings, after that dinner of Ari's, Skye had woken up to find Coulson wrapped around her, his head tucked on her shoulder, her stomach, or on her pillow right beside her, his nose pressed against her hair.

"Hey, gotta look out for the Director," Skye shrugged, trying to focus on the paperwork once more.

"Right." May said dubiously, but then disappeared from the room. Skye frowned toward the now empty space, wondering if she or Coulson were going to be in trouble. Deciding that whatever May might do to them would be worth it, she chose not to worry about it. She started humming some Christmas songs while she worked, occasionally throwing in her own lyrics along the way.

"Santa baby, a '62 convertible please... Bright red..." She sang on tune, but hesitated over finding something to rhyme with.

"That doesn't rhyme," Coulson said, smiling as he entered the room. She grinned mischievously at him.

"Think he'll mind that much?" She asked, leaning back in her chair and scooting away from the desk a little; an invitation that he quickly took. He filled the space between her chair and desk, standing between her knees and leaning his hips against the edge of her desk.

"Nah, I think he can make an exception for Lola," Coulson grinned, and Skye tugged him down over her with a hand on his tie.


End file.
